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Economic networks

This course presents network concepts from the two distinct perspectives of economics and network science. It will provide a background covering both economics modeling of networks and network science modeling of economic systems. The course presents problems where network aspects are instrumental to achieve a better description and understanding of the investigated economic and social systems.

The course presents topics as homophily, affiliation, spatial segregation, balanced networks, trading networks, and diffusion in networks. In some case, along with the introduction of the concepts, the course also presents computational approaches that students can use to perform empirical analyses in some specific systems.

Learning Outcomes:

By successfully completing the course the students will be able to:

- Understand network concepts used in network science and in economics.

(1) Assessments of type 1 (30 % of the final grade). Starting from lecture 3 the students will get home works, which they will have to submit electronically.

(2) Assessment type 2 (30% of the final grade). The midterm assignment will be after lecture 6, consisting of a test or of a small project related on empirical and/or theoretical topics presented in the course.

(3) Assessment type 3 (40% of the final grade). In this final project students will have to perform a research project including some of the following activities: (i) constructing a model, (ii) running simulations, (iii) performing empirical analyses and (iv) critically analyzing results. They will have to prepare a presentation and deliver it and a written report.